The 11th Screen Nation Film and Television Awards 2016 took place at the Hilton London Metropole hotel this week. The awards – popularly known as ‘the black Bafta’s – was set up over a decade ago to celebrate diversity and reward excellence by a man named Charles Thompson MBE who was determined to give BAME creative talent a light.
PECKHAM’S FINEST – JOHN BOYEGA AT THE SCREEN NATION AWARDS 2016.
Photo courtesy- Colorbox Ltd.
Showing his tenacity, when Charles was honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2011 for his services to the global black film industry, on receiving the MBE he said: ‘Thank you, your Majesty, it feels good to know the Ancestors have guided me well enough to have finally taken a piece out of the British Empire’
JASMINE PRESENTED LADY LESHURR WITH ‘BEST GRIME MUSIC VIDEO PROMO AWARD’- VOTED FOR BY THE PUBLIC! (GIRL POWER!)
Screen Nation is the UK’s only international celebration of black British achievement in film and TV and this years event was hosted by Brenda Emmanus (BBC London News Arts Correspondent) and Kojo (comedian and ITV2 Love Fix presenter).
JASMINE WITH SCREEN NATON HOSTS KOJO AND BRENDA EMMANUS.
It was glamour all the way with the red carpet heaving with men in their black tie smarts and ladies in their regal gown finery.
SCREEN NATION ‘BEST PERSONALITY’ AWRD WINNER ALISON HAMMOND.
Photo courtesy- Colorbox Ltd.
The night was attended by film and TV actors, actresses and directors; plus musicians and many of the nation’s best-loved celebrities and stars including:
Alison Hammond (Strictly Come Dancing), Ainsley Harriott, Arnold Ocen g (The Good Lie), Beverley Knight (The Bodyguard musical/singer), Bonnie Greer, Cecilia Noble (Danny and the Human Zoo) , Charlene White (ITN News) , Danny John Jules (Death in Paradise), Danny Sapani (Penny Dreadful), Charles Venn (Casualty), Denise Lewis, Eleanor Fanyinka (Holby City) , Geff Francis (Holby City) Jermain Jackman, John Boyega (Star Wars), Joivan Wade (Dr Who) , Osy Ikhile (Mission Impossible) , OT Fagbenle (The Interceptor) , Simon Webbe, Sinitta and many more.
SCREENNATION 2016 WINNER – ACTOR MALACHI KIRBY WITH TV CHEF AINSLEY HARRIET.
Photo courtesy- Colorbox Ltd.
The great thing is they recognize diversity not just in ethnicity, but also age and gender. As well as the numerous British young film talent they also bestowed this year’s leading honour; the Outstanding Contribution Award upon iconic African-American action star Wesley Snipes.
THE INCREDIBLE BONNIE GREER AT SCREEN NATION 2016.
Photo courtesy- Colorbox Ltd.
‘Best male performance in a film winner South London Peckham actor John Boyega told us ‘’when you’re in a movie like Star Wars you’re not thinking of the world, you’re thinking of your family and an award like this and acknowledgment is really important to me’’.
JASMINE WITH SINGER BEVERLEY KNIGHT AT THE SCREEN NATION AWARDS 2016.
Beverley Knight told me ‘’in the absence of diversity in mainstream ceremonies across the board in all mediums, its important that SNA has come along and filled a huge gap. Diversity is the big watchword of the moment. And SNA are saying ‘this is what diversity looks like’’. Even with the Brit awards I recall Soul-to-Soul and that infamous Craig David moment where he was overlooked. British acts of colour are always seen as not being British enough. Awards like MOBO and SNA act as fire under peoples bums’’.
JASMINE WITH BLUE SINGER / BUSINESSMAN SIMON WEBBE.
Blue member and singer Simon Webbe stated ‘’social media has had a massive impact on change. The grime music scene used it to blow up and get recognized and the SNA and other brands are also using it to celebrate cultural diversity- not just black people’’
SINITTA BROUGHT ALONG HER VERY YOUTHFUL LOOKING MUM, THEY POSED WITH ACTOR/ WINNER CHARLES VENN AT SCREEN NATION 2016.
Photo courtesy- Colorbox Ltd.
Sinitta raved ‘’SNA lifts up the black British talent, we appreciate, salute, honour and respect your craft and hopefully the world is watching’’.
Kassian Franklin said ‘’I never felt I was represented accurately onscreen. Every black man was an urban thug which wasn’t me’’
ACTOR / WINNER O.T. FAGBENLE WITH SINGER BEVERLEY KNIGHT.
Photo courtesy- Colorbox Ltd.
Honoured with the highly prized Edric Connor Trailblazer Award went to the legendary and Desmond’s fame actress, Carmen Munroe whose acting career extends over half a century and has broken many racial barriers.
MULTI-TALENTED TV/FILM ACTOR JOVIAN WADE AT SCREEN NATION 2016.
Photo courtesy- Colorbox Ltd.
A slew of Classic Movie awards were presented honours for their 25th anniversaries – Boyz n Da Hood, Mo’ Better Blues and New Jack City were matched by two strikingly different female ensemble classics that hit their 20 year milestone – Waiting to Exhale and Set it Off. Each classic movie was directed by and featured talent, who had gone on to become Hollywood’s biggest names.
ITV NEWS HOST CHARLENE WHITE AT SCREEN NATION 2016.
Babylon set the Classic Movie standard for the UK in its 35th anniversary year.
The Screen Nation Awards is fully recognised by the industry and has evolved over the years to become a prestigious event in the UK show business calendar. The night was exciting, buzzing, full of glamour and positivity and it’s clear that the future of diversity- at least in the British film and TV scene- with Screen Nation at it’s side, is in a healthy place.
Photo courtesy- Colorbox Ltd.
OFFICIAL WINNERS LIST 2016.
*** Winner in Bold and in red
HONORARY & MAJOR AWARDS
Outstanding Contribution WESLEY SNIPES
Edric Connor Trailblazer CARMEN MUNROE
Classic Film (UK) BABYLON
Classic Film (Intl.) MO’ BETTER BLUES
Classic Film (Intl.) THE FIVE HEARTBEATS
Classic Film (Intl.) NEW JACK CITY
Classic Film (Intl.) WAITING TO EXHALEUK SCREEN AWARDS
Emerging Talent
WINNER Anthony Welsh – various
Fisayo Akinade – Banana, Cucumba, various
Melanie Liburd – How Sarah Got her Wings, The Grinder, Runaway Island
Michaela Coel – Chewing Gum
Osy Ikhile – Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, In the Heart of the Sea
Weruche Opia – Bad Education, When Love HappensRising Star
Cherrelle Skeete – Danny and the Human Zoo
Eleanor Fanyinka – Holby
Franz Drameh – #Legacy, River, The Flash, Residue
Joivan Wade – Dr Who, The Interceptor, various
WINNER Malachi Kirby – Jekyll & Hyde, Dough
Mckell David – Urban Hymn, #Legacy
Mention:
Danielle Walters – Chewing Gum
Kadiff Kirwan – Crims, Chewing Gum
Kai Francis Lewis – Second ComingFavourite Female TV Personality
PUBLIC VOTING
Alesha Dixon – Britain’s Got Talent
WINNER Alison Hammond – Strictly Come Dancing
Charlene White – ITN
Jamelia – Strictly Come Dancing, Loose Women
Otlile Mabuse – Strictly Come Dancing
Rochelle Humes – Xtra FactorFavourite Male TV Personality
PUBLIC VOTING
Ainsley Harriott – Strictly Come Dancing, various
WINNER Charles Venn – Casualty
Danny John Jules – Death in Paradise
Idris Elba – Luther
Melvin Odoom – Xtra Factor
Richard Blackwood – Eastenders
Mention:
Anthony Ogogo – Strictly Come Dancing
Reggie Yates – VariousFemale Performance in Film
Freema Agyeman – North v South
Gugu Mbtha-Raw – Beyond the Lights, Concussion
Letitia Wright – Urban Hymn
Nadine Marshall – Second Coming
Naomie Harris – Spectre
WINNER Nathalie Emmanuel – Fast & Furious 7, Maze Runner: The Scorch TrialsMale Performance in Film
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje – Concussion, Trumbo
Chiwetel Ejiofor – Z for Zachariah
Daniel Kaluuya – Sicario
David Oyelowo – Captive
Idris Elba – Beast of No Nation, Second Coming
WINNER John Boyega – Star WarsFemale Performance in TV
Azuka Oforka – Casualty
WINNER Cecilia Noble – Danny and the Human Zoo
Freema Agyeman – Sense8
Georgina Campbell – After Hours, Tripped, The Ark
Marsha Thomason – Safe House
Natalie Gumede – Jekyll & Hyde
Nathalie Emmanuel – Game of Thrones
Mention:
Antonia Thomas – The Ark, Musketeer
Camilla Beeput – Partners in Crime
Leonie Elliott – Danny and the Human Zoo
Wunmi Mosaku – CapitalMale Performance in TV
Adewale Akinuoye Agbaje – Odyssy, Game of Thrones
Ariyon Bakare – Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
Charles Venn – Casualty
Danny Sapani – Penny Dreadful, Danny and the Human Zoo, Bastard Executioner
Gary Beadle – The Interceptor
Gef Francis – Holby
Idris Elba – Luther
WINNER Kascion Franklin – Danny and the Human Zoo
OT Fagbenle – The Interceptor
Mention:
Aml Ameen – Sense8
Ashley Rice- Doctors
Lennie James – The Walking Dead, Critical
Lenny Henry – Danny and the Human Zoo
Nicholas Pinnock – Fortitude, Mid-Winter of the Spirit
Paterson Joseph – Safe HouseUK SCREENCRAFT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Diversity in Factual Production
Arthur Ashe: More Than a Champion – BBC
WINNER Britain’s Forgotten Slave Owners – BBC
Inside the Ku Klux Klan – C4
James Brown: Mr Dynamite – BBC
Sammy Davis Jnr: The Kid in the Middle – BBC
Sports Life Stories: John Barnes – ITV
Mention:
7 Wonders of Brazil – BBC
Black and Blue: The story of Chelsea’s Paul Canoville – Sky
Fighting for King and Empire: Britain’s Caribbean Heroes BBC
Nina Simone and Me Laura Mvula – BBC
Reginald D Hunter’s Songs of the South – BBC
What Happened, Miss Simone? – NetflixDiversity in Drama Production
Danny and the Human Zoo – BBC
Death in Paradise – BBC
Luther – BBC
Safe House – ITV
WINNER The Interceptor – BBC
Mention:
Capital – BBC
The Musketeers – BBCIndependent Spirit Film Production
As it Grows – Dalian Adofo
WINNER Looking for Love – Menelik Shabbaz
Mandela, My Dad and Me – Daniel VernonAchievement in Film Production
#Legacy – Noel Clarke
Second Coming – Debbie Tucker Green
WINNER The Hard Stop – George Amponsah/Dionne WalkerFavourite International Movie (made by or featuring British talent)
PUBLIC VOTING
WINNER Beasts of No Nation – Idris Elba, AmaK Abebrese, Jude Akuwudike
Beyond the Lights – Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Aml Ameen
Captive – David Oyelowo
Concussion – Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Star Wars – John BoyegaFavourite African UK Movie (made by or featuring significantly British based talent)
PUBLIC VOTING
Basira in London – Phillippa Chiedu Abraham
Murderer in Law – Tolu Yesufu
Nana Means King – Nana Obiri-Yeboah & Wojciech Dudzicz
WINNER The Cursed Ones – Nana Obiri-Yeboah & Maximilian Claussen
When Love Happens – Seyi BabatopeFavourite Comedy Production
PUBLIC VOTING
WINNER Chewing Gum – E4
Javone Prince Show – BBC2
Venus v Mars – Sky LivingFavourite Grime Music Promo
PUBLIC VOTING
JME ft Giggs – Man Don’t Care
WINNER Lady Leshurr – Queens Speech 4
Lethal Bizzle – Fester Skank
Meridian Dan – German Whip
Section Boyz – Lock Orf
Skepta – Shut Down
Stormzy – Shut UpPEOPLE’S CHOICE W. AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL SCREEN AWARDS – 3
PUBLIC VOTINGFavourite Film
PUBLIC VOTING
30 Days in Atlanta
WINNER Beasts of No Nation
Fifty
O Town
Taxi Driver
Thy Will be DoneFavourite Male Screen Personality
PUBLIC VOTING
Abraham Attah
Anthony Monjaro
WINNER Oris Erhuero
Wale OjoFavourite Female Screen Personality
PUBLIC VOTING
Eku Edewor
WINNER Gayle Ngozi Thompson-Igwebike
Nse Ikpe Etim
Omoni Oboli
Uru Eke